Beginnings
by Linodo
Summary: What made 'Shiba Tatsuya' What experiences did he have to face when growing up? What brought him peace? Pain, suffering, despair, vindication. All are words that could have once described him. To face his past, what is required of him? To once more see 'Shiba Tatsuya.' Not as a demon, but a human.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei. All characters are from Satou Tsutomu and there is no profit intended in this story.**

"ARGGHHH! ARGHHHH!"

Screams of pain echoed through the hallway. The once quiet mansion of the Yotsuba has now turned into a screaming attraction. If anyone foreign to the household visited, they would believe that someone was getting murdered. However, instead of taking a life, the Yotsuba was delivering a life today.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

This was no slaughter house, but an operation room built in the Yotsuba main house. In order to keep their activities a secret, the Yotsuba employed dozens of doctors and spent millions to build a medical facility superior to any hospital in existence. Being treated in a government facility would draw too much attention to the actions of the Yotusba. Moreover, if what happened in this room today was revealed to the public, the world will undoubtedly focus their attention on the Yotusba.

"No… AHHHHHHHHH!"

The screams originated from one person. The woman lying on the operation bed tended by 3 doctors and 12 nurses. One might wonder why there was a need for so many personnel next to her. But, she was no ordinary woman. All eyes were on her. Yotsuba Miya, the sister of the head. And today, she was giving birth to her first child.

"Check her blood pressure!"

"Administer painkillers!"

"Keep an eye on the baby's heart rate!"

Wallows of orders flew around and the room was no different than a stock broker's room on Black Tuesday. Everyone was frantic and panicking. Even though Miya was in her early 30s and was in an optimal condition for delivery, it was her first childbirth. The whole room could only pray nothing happens. Furthermore, the child being delivered was no mere child. He had the potential to become the heir apparent of the Yotsuba.

"Now Miya-sama, push!"

"Ummmmmm…"

Miya was trying her best to bring her child safe and sound to the world. Nine months ago when she found out she was pregnant, she became elated. Not because she was bearing a child of someone she loved but because the child she bore was going to become big. She could feel it. Miya wanted a child that she could love unconditionally and be filial to her. Finally, her wish was going to come true. She was going to raise her child to become the dragon of the Yotsuba.

"AHHHHHH!"

As the pain overcame her senses, she reflected back to the time she heard the child she bore was a son. Her first child was a son! Imagine her happiness. She knew that he would definitely become the head of the Yotsuba. It was then she decided on his name.

"ARGGHHHHH!"

The final leg of the race has been run. Miya's son was born. Nurses came to carry him away from the bloodied bed and baptized him in sanitary water. Wiping off all the blood, the nurse carried him to his mother.

Miya touched her son for the very first time. As he lay down next to her drained face, the child gave a cute smile.

Nothing could make her happier now. Miya looked at her son and gave a welcoming sentence.

"Welcome to this world, Tatsuya. (達也, 'to become the dragon')."

-.-

Hi! It's me again! As some of you may know I just finished writing the 3 year gap and I thank you for all the support I have gotten. Well so after writing on what happened after Okinawa, I was thinking maybe I should write about the 12 years before Okinawa. So I should give you guys a rundown on what is going to happen in 'Beginnings.' Firstly, it would be Tatsuya and Miyuki's birth. Also since Tatsuya still has his emotions intact, I will attempt to make him look more vulnerable and weak to discrimination, abuse etc. Next it would be the circumstances leading to the Artificial Magician project when he was 7 years old. If you don't know what it is I suggest reading the LN first lol. Lastly will be is training in the main house until Okinawa. Since there is not much information on it all I can do is supplement my own imagination so do correct me if my words don't fit the canon. Oh yes, there will be very little Miyuki here. I want to write this story according to Tatsuya's point of view and if I'm not wrong, Miyuki seldom interacted with him. Also do write a review! I love reading them be it good or bad! So please give me a penny of your thoughts!


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei. All characters are from Satou Tsutomu and there is no profit intended in this story.**

The birth of Tatsuya heralded a new era for the Yotsuba family. A direct descendant of Genzou's bloodline has been born. Yotsuba Genzou. The legendary Yotsuba that led half his family to war against Dahan and triumphed. Although he did not make it back alive, for the sacrifice of a mere thirty magicians, the Yotsuba clan assassinated four thousand: cabinet ministers, high class bureaucrats, officers, magicians and researchers; as for the continent of Asia, it had all its research results on modern magic annihilated. It was due to Genzou did the whole world finally understood what the Yotsuba was capable off. And it was due to Genzou did the whole world fear them.

Therefore, the birth of Genzou's grandson sent shockwaves throughout the main house. If Tatsuya's birth were made public, it would have undoubtedly made international headlines. Things like "The Demon's blood lives on" or "A new threat in the East" would have glorified the newspapers of the world. Especially the Great Asian Alliance (GAA). They would have done anything to hunt him down. Hence, right now the most important job for the Yotsubas was to hide the fact that Tatsuya has been born and to quickly train him to become a magician fit for the 10 Master Clans.

But this did not sit well for all the Yotsuba clan head candidates and their parents. The scion of Genzou has arrived. Maya would for certain place him as her successor. Be it for continuing her father's legacy or to let her direct nephew take the reins. Maya was sure to favor Tatsuya. However, it is not like they could assassinate the child. More than any other clans, the Yotsuba placed family above anything else. No one would even contemplate killing the heir apparent to ensure that their child inherits the position of head. Even if they did, the other member's would hunt them down to prosecute them. Therefore, all they could do is sit there and accept the fact that the first-born son of Miya's would inherit the most sought-after role in the Clan.

Right now, the Yotsuba had more important plans to deal with Tatsuya. To figure out his inherent magic.

Every "Yotsuba" born inevitably descended from two types of magician lineages. One were those born with a mind manipulation ability that was strengthened. The other were those whose magic calculation areas were warped by a strong power. These two heritages stood side by side and mixed to form the "Yotsuba". Even those who shared the same blood displayed the two characteristics randomly. For example, Miya inherited the traits of the former, and 'Mind Structure Manipulation' is a form of mind manipulation magic that only she can use; Maya represented the latter, as she did not have any form of mind manipulation magic, but instead acquired a distinctive power from birth.

Everyone now is highly anticipating what Tatsuya would show them. Could he become a Mind-manipulation magician that surpassed even his mother and grandfather or would he become a distinctive magician with the capabilities that match or tower Maya? Each generation of Magicians has surpassed the previous. This has become more and more evident per generation as the aggregate power of Mages has only increased. Furthermore, this time Miya was fertilized by the man with the highest Psion count in Japan, Shiba Tatsurou. It was only a fact that this generation of Yotsubas could be the strongest in history. However, Tatsuya is too young to be tested. The earliest a child can demonstrate magic would be at three years of age. Even a prodigy will have to wait the designated three years to properly show their power. Hence, currently Tatsuya is not considered a successor candidate yet. All they could do is give him the necessary breast milk and parental love an ordinary child deserves.

While waiting for Tatsuya to grow up, Miya announced that she was pregnant once more 2 months later. Although it seemed rushed, every Yotsuba mother was required to have at least two kids. It was not due to any biological problems but because the number of Yotsubas were scarce. Even though they managed to annihilate an entire country by themselves, their losses were too heavy and their number dwindled to a mere 20. Therefore, it was every Yotsuba woman's duty to be a birthing cow. Definitely, cases like Maya were exempt but no one else could run away from this rule.

For the first year of his life, Tatsuya was treated like a king and everyone waited on him hand and foot. And right now, his sister is growing inside of his mother. Everything looked perfect. The tragedy of Maya has been vindicated and the Yotsubas was not only increasing in numbers but also in talent. So when the birth of Miyuki came, the dark mansion of the Yotsuba brightened up like they had nothing to do with espionage and assassinations. It was as they say 'when it rained, it pours' as happy things came one after another.

And the best part is being discussed in the meeting room of the Yotsuba.

-.-

"You… found it?"

"Yes."

At the face of Maya's befuddled query, the bespectacled middle-aged man answered with a succinct 'Yes.'

The person in front of Maya right now is Yotsuba Yoichi. The head of the fourth magical institute. To the world, it is an institute was to be located near the borders of old Metro Tokyo and former Yamanashi prefecture, established in 2033 and was now shut down. But in truth, it was not. With the help of the 'sponsor,' the Yotsuba has managed to continue its research and their pursuit in finding out what the mind truly was.

And right now, Yotsuba Yoichi, the most ingenious researcher of the Yotsuba has arrived in front of Maya with the results of their research. Yoichi is a direct cousin of Maya's. Like all members of the family, Yoichi possesses pitch-black hair and bright blue eyes. But unlike the others, he does not have a seductive allure to his physique. In fact, he looks just like the typical shut-in scientist that devotes his entire life to his research. His continues to wear spectacles at this age not because he was stubborn enough to refuse eye treatment to cure myopia but because even if he did, he will just harm them again due to his close proximity to books and data report.

Nevertheless, he came to meet Maya because of the groundbreaking discovery he made.

"We found the Magic Calculation area."

-.-

The Magic Calculation Area is the part of the subconscious mind responsible for the use of magic. Not much is understood about the Magic Calculation Area and despite many studies for no specific anatomic location dedicated purely for producing magic has been found. Up till now, magicians of the world have been fighting not knowing where the black box for all their spells was located but today, everything changes.

Upon their new discovery, the Yotsubas has taken one step forward into unlocking the truth of their ultimate goal. What is Magic? What is the Mind? What is Consciousness? All these questions have been driving generations of Yotsubas to work subservient to governments and sponsors. With the location of the Magic Calculation area, they could now analyze Magic like never before. It was the first step to finding the link between the Mind and Magic. It's such a grandiose topic that only those who have the will to sacrifice everything could have a chance to uncover its secrets. Luckily, the Yotsubas were one of those people.

"As theorized it's in the Limbic System. For its precise location, it is dangerously close to the hypothalamus."

"That means that it's close to the part of the brain that governs our emotions right?"

"Full marks."

"What irony."

The first thing thought to all magicians was to always keep your emotions in check. Because they have the ability to alter the world, if their judgment is clouded and their actions are jeopardized by emotions, catastrophic events may follow. But to think that the place where all magic originates is right next to the place where all emotions come from.

Yoichi gave a wry smile at his cousin's comment and continued with his explanation.

"As we all know, playing around with the Limbic system surgically would only cause a mess of a person's subconscious mind thus further research is impossible. Unless we employ the help of Miya-san…"

Maya understood what Yoichi was getting to even without him saying it. All research on the brain has been done via test monkeys and dead corpses, but it is a different story altogether when the Magic calculation area is involved. Magic is unique to humans hence researching on monkeys would not get them anywhere. Cutting open a corpse's head is even more unrealistic as once a person is dead, the mind stops all consciousness and sub-consciousness making researching on it impossible. The only viable way is to test live humans. Furthermore, magicians. Therefore, they needed the help of Miya, the sole possessor of the unique Mental-Interference magic 'Mental Structure Interference'.

The Yotsubas would go to any extent to acquire their goals, but it does not mean that the worst case scenario is what they seek. By using Miya's magic, the scientists of the Fourth magic institute would be able to accurately maneuver between the Limbic System without damaging the parts that made the person human. Needless to say, mindless sacrifice of living humans in experiments is forbidden both internationally and morally. Anyone who attempts it would be sentenced to life in prison or death. Even if the person being experimented on signed a waiver. Therefore, in order to prevent the worst case from happening, the Yotsubas would have to pull out all stops.

"Miya is currently recuperating from the birth of her two children so asking her now is unthinkable."

"But…"

"Of course when she is better I will relay it to her. However, I'm sure she will offer her assistance. After all, it has been the Yotsuba's lifelong dream."

Yoichi was anxious as he wanted to continue his research as soon as he could. Maya too felt the anxiety as thoroughly analyzing the Magic Calculation area meant two imperative things. One, they could move a step closer to finding out what the mind was. And secondly, they could manufacture an artificial Magic Calculation area. The strategic appliance of the second goal could be endless. The entire army could become artificial magicians and possibly, the entire world could become a place not split between humans and magicians, but a place dominated by magicians.

However, currently the priority is for Miya to rest. She had just given birth to two children and has to take care of them. Heralding the next generation of Yotsubas is far more important than anything else after all. But nevertheless, once her participation in this project is a done deal, the Yotsubas will once again move the gears to change the world.

-.-

Two years has passed since this discovery. For the Yotsubas, it was mostly business as usual. Other than the occasional underground fight between the Saegusa for supremacy and various espionage missions given by the government, the Yotsubas has been living in peace compared to few decades back.

However, the frequent uproars nowadays would be due to a particular 3-year-old boy.

Tatsuya, now at the right age to display his magic, has been surprising the Yotsubas by the day. Not due to magic, but due to the fact that he was a genius. He was independently walking and talking in fluent Japanese. Elementary math proved no problem to him as he mastered the multiplication table and was starting to learn ratios and algebra. Even English he was on the fast-track to learning. But because of his prodigious skills and servants singing him with high praises every day, Tatsuya became cocky.

"Hey! Where's my milkshake?"

"Sorry young master, I'll bring it right away."

Tatsuya has been treating the servants as slaves. Everything and everyone were beneath him. From birth till today, the only people he's been in contact with are direct relatives such as Miya, Maya, Tasturou and the servants of the Yotusba. In order to gain favor with the heir apparent, the servants have been sugarcoating all his faults and letting him step over them. This thus made him have a severe case of superiority complex.

"You're late."

"I'm sorry young master. Please punish me."

The sentence the apologetic maid said was nothing more than a statement to appease her master's wrath but Tatsuya took it literally.

"If you say so…"

With that, Tatsuya gave a right hook to her abdomen and kicked her leg. Although it did not hurt as much due to Tatsuya's inexperience with fights and his small stature, taking a direct hit to the stomach did do damage.

"Hmph!"

Tatsuya left the maid behind as he headed to his quarters. As he left he gave the girl a scornful look and walked away sipping the delicious strawberry milkshake in his grasp.

Passing through the hallway to his room, he caught a glimpse of Miyuki playing with her blocks. At the sight of this, he entered the room and started to guide Miyuki in arranging the blocks. Although he was only 3 years old, his perception was no less than a 6-year-old. Even with his cocky attitude to his servants, he was gentle to Miyuki. 'Must be sibling love' he thought to himself. He did not know why he treasured Miyuki, but he did know that she was someone to be protected. Maybe it's because she was cuter than any other babies he saw in pictures or in person.

"Miyuki, you have to carry it like this."

"Haiiiiii~"

Like a healthy 2-year-old, Miyuki could barely speak Japanese. All she could do was simple gestures and words. Tatsuya was an abnormality, but Miyuki turned out to be an average human being. This irritated Tatsuya at times, but all hatred was washed away by Miyuki's cute and innocent smile.

As he guided Miyuki on how to carry the blocks in place, he felt a sudden power dwell within him.

Psions raged out of his body and all of a sudden, half the block he was holding disappeared.

"OHH YESSS! I did it! I performed my first spell!"

Thinking that he teleported the blocks, Tatsuya turned red with excitement. Of course at this time, he was not thought the 4 great systems and 8 major types of magic thus he had no idea what magic spell he did. But seeing that the block he was holding dissipated into thin air. This had to be the teleportation all science fiction flicks have dreamed of.

The servants, however wore a different expression that Tatsuya's. They were grim.

"Immediately report this to the Miya-sama."

"Young master, please come this way."

Tatsuya still wore a triumphant face as he was guided by a servant to his own room while the other servants rushed to tell their mistress the news.

-.-

Miya was currently with Yoichi and Maya experimenting on the Magic Calculation area at the Fourth Magic institute when she heard the news.

"Really?! Tatsuya performed Magic already? As expected of him. Let me go meet him."

"Before that…"

The servant that came to report the news instead of looking happy that his young master performed magic, he looked shocked and in fear.

"What is it? Speak up."

Maya beckoned the servant to finish his sentence.

"Yes Maya-sama. Here's the block he performed magic on."

However, at the sight of the half-block that remained, the 3 Yotusbas looked stunned.

"Corrosion… No decomposition."

"That's impossible! Decomposing structures is the hardest level of magic! There's no way a child can perform it even if he's a prodigy."

"What if he was not a mere magician?"

At Maya's question, everyone in the surrounding fell silent.

"What if he is Born-Specialized?"

-.-

Hey! Me again. This chapter focuses on the development leading to the Artificial Magician experiment and the start of Tatsuya's character development. It hard imagined how Tatsuya was like with all his emotions so I decided to make him an obnoxious brat at first. I know the prodigy crap makes him sound so Gary Sue but in the end, he is a genius that invented Loop-cast at 12 right? He has to at least master language at Math at that age to play around with theoretical things later on, right? So in the end the first chapter is just mainly developing the story so look forward to the next chapters! Oh yes! Please write a review!


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Mahouka Koukou any Rettousei. All characters are from Satou Tsutomu and there is no profit intended in this story.**

'Born-Specialized.'

Alternatively, BS for short. This term refers to magicians that have their Magic-calculation area dominated by one system of Magic. This meant that for that particular system, they would transcend the current Magic spells innovated and figuratively made their Magic an extra limb for them. BS Magicians have been known to make new records for magic such include the highest number of "Leaps" per minute or even cloaking to near invisibility. For the system, they are specialized in; they were untouchable by other magicians. However, it has a more disastrous backlash. BS Magicians are unable to use spells outside their specialized magic. In exchange for a perfect mastery, they are unable to handle any other spells. The Magic-calculation area has a fixed memory space even though it differs from person to person. A BS magician who has his entire area built exclusively for one spell will never be able to feel a new one. It was their gift and their curse. Magicians are thought to be a jack-of-all-trades in order to be flexible in battle, therefore, being the Ace in one does not guarantee recognition. In fact, it ensures discrimination.

BS magicians are generally treated as spares. Incomplete if one might be extreme. Many BS Magicians do not even enter Magic High School due to their status and they would only be scorned and deemed useless outside of their specialized field. In fact, there has not been any precedent that a BS magician obtained a B-Rank license let alone an A-rank one.

Decomposition. Directly interfering with the structure of an object. It is not a Magic spell that is part of the 4 Great Systems and 8 Major Types. It is a system that breaks down all of it. This is why it is said to be the hardest level of Magic. Nothing is safe in its wake. Its majesty, audacity could only be described as the most difficult neigh impossible for a Magician to reach. And yet…

"As expected Tatsuya is a Born-Specialized Magician."

"Every Yotsuba born inevitably becomes a mind manipulation magician or whose magic calculation areas were warped by a strong power huh. To think that it would come back and bite us in the butt."

"Tatsuya without a doubt inherited the later skillset. But to think that it was so specialized that he became a BS…"

The three who were conversing had the power to move nations. Those who bore the Yotsuba name. Maya, Miya, and Yoichi. The topic at hand was the fact that a BS magician has appeared in the Yotsuba. Since their inauguration as part of the 10 Master Clans, never once has an heir apparent become a BS magician. Each one of the numbers family has a specialized magic spell. For example the Yotsuba would be Mental-Interference. The Juumoni would be spatial awareness and barrier magic. The Ichijous would be fluid control. Therefore, it was not surprising if a BS magician pops out one day. However, there was no precedent. In practice, the magician would be immediately deemed an Extra and be tossed aside but this was no mere kid. He was Miya's son.

"Why him..."

Miya lamented the fact that Tatsuya was defective. He was her pride and gem for the future. The first grandson of Genzou turned out to be a piece of trash. How was she going to face her father?

Sending her eyes in an unordered path, Miya glanced through the entire lab while self-decrementing herself. But the sight in front of her gave her an idea.

"Artificial Magician…"

"What?"

Maya semi-guessed what Miya wanted to do, but she wanted vocal confirmation.

"We implant an Artificial Magic processor into Tatsuya."

Yoichi and Maya couldn't believe their ears.

"You want to make Tatsuya, an Artificial Magician?"

"Yes. That is the only way he can live on as a Yotsuba."

It was a good idea. Having an heir of good genes is the best way to make the plan a reality since magic is already in his body. What Maya and Yoichi was hesitant about is the fact that Miya immediately sent her son to become the primary guinea pig for an experiment with no hint of remorse. She knew the risks and aftermaths that might arise in the plan, but yet she pushed for her son to take the role. Miya must have been really twisted.

The real truth was that Miya is desperate. She was determined to give her son a position in the Yotsuba is it small or big. She had a superpower. Miya was the best in foreseeing the future even if they were just premonitions. Her intuition has been screaming ever since Tatsuya was born. 'This child is special.' She wants to believe that. By not giving up on Tatsuya, she believes that he will one day become something. Before she believed, Tatsuya would become the new head of the Yotsuba but now the future was unclear to her. However, her intuition still believes that her son here would one day become 'something.' It was not apparent now but if she doesn't give up now, it will show itself in the future. It is her wish, her desire.

"Tatsuya…"

With a longing voice, she called out her son's name.

-.-

The boy Miya sought after was currently under house confinement. After his long-waited Magic show, instead of the usual praises, he was hauled off to his room. Currently, there was no one with him. As the future head, not having one servant at his side was odd especially since he still requires milk to sleep.

It has been a week since his "house arrest" started. No one from the main family visited him and he was barred from going out into the mansion. All he could do was sleep, eat and use the toilet just adjacent to his room.

Tatsuya was confused. He just performed magic. Why was no one praising him?

"Hey Dejima! I want to see Okaa-sama!"

Tatsuya tried calling his personal butler that has been attending to him. He knew that there was someone outside due to the shadows thus his only option was to call out to him.

But there was no reply.

Traditionally, the moment someone is deemed worthless in the Magic world, scorn and hate awaits the magician. Many turn to living normal lives to avoid the discrimination they face. Therefore, the servants deduced that their master would undoubtedly become an extra and there was no further need to act submissive in front of him.

"HEY! DID YOU HEAR ME?!"

"Keep quiet Tatsuya."

"Tatsuya?! It's TATSUYA-SAMA FOR YOU!"

"You are no longer my master."

Anyone hates obnoxious brats. The reason why they put up with Tatsuya was because he would one-day rule them. However with that future out of the window, their bottled-up emotions took over their words.

Tatsuya turned red. It was the first time someone has insulted him. From living his life with people walking eggshells around him to being talked down. Tatsuya did not like this transition.

Raising up his right hand, he applied the magic that was bestowed upon him at birth on the locked door. The next instant, the whole door started to decompose. The wood began to rot, the doorknob started to rust and the lock became loose.

Tatsuya kicked opened the door and started to plummet on the butler that was supposed to stand there motionlessly to get hit.

However, the outcome was different than what he expected. Dejima, expecting an attack, readied himself and kicked Tatsuya with all his strength. Even if you hate someone, using all his weight to kick a 3-year-old boy was crazy. But Dejima cared naught.

"Looks like I have to put you in your place '_Young Master.'_"

Dejima grabbed Tatsuya by the throat and slammed him on the cupboard. Struggling in his grasp, Tatsuya kicked wildly into the air hoping to land one hit. Unfortunately, all Yotsuba butlers were masters in physical combat and a child tantrums would never have injured them. The only reason Tatsuya could have punched them was because they let him.

"Ohhh. How long have I waited for this…"

"Let… me go…"

Gasping for air, Tatsuya gave Dejima an order with a condescending tone. This irritated the butler further.

"You are nothing but a brat. How many times have I wanted to teach you some manners but refrained myself? Always hitting people just because you were in a bad mood."

"Okaa… sama…"

"What you think your mother can help you now? Our orders were to watch you and keep you in your room, but we all know the truth."

Dejima released Tatsuya. No matter what he was a 3-year-old. Hurting him even more would leave a mark on his conscience.

"You are no longer a 'Yotsuba,' Tatsuya. You probably won't understand this but right now, our standing is higher than yours. In order to maintain hierarchy, Miya-sama won't mind if we teach you manners."

Leaving Tatsuya with those words, Dejima left the room and sealed it with some spare furniture.

Being a kid, he was, Tatsuya sat on his bed and cried out in despair. He did not understand.

"Why?"

The people who were beneath him stood up and attacked him.

"Why?"

His mother would not care if they hit him.

"Why?"

What he done wrong to deserve this punishment.

Was it due to his magic? But that was how he was born! There was no way to change that fact.

Then was it his attitude? Yes, he does go overboard but anyone who felt superior would have done the same.

Or was it because there were people who wanted him gone? His little mind could not comprehend all these facts.

Tatsuya did not understand. All he did was show his magic. Why did everyone now treat him as a virus? He needed answers. But more importantly, he needed human comfort.

"Okaa-sama…"

The only person he knew that could provide him with both was his mother.

No matter what, he had to find Miya. However, there were many problems. Right now he was under confinement and there are people watching his every move. Furthermore, his mother had not visited him since the start of his isolation.

"If I can find Okaa-sama, these guys won't be so cocky."

Vowing vengeance, thought of a way to escape his overseers and find his mother.

The room was heavily fortified and now opening a window required the use of several keys. Luckily, Tatsuya had a shortcut. He could use his decomposition to erode the window and run to his mother. To top it off, his room was on the first floor. It was as if all the cards were in his favor.

Normally, it would be impossible for a child to escape the Yotsuba butlers, who have been sharpened for the sole existence of serving the Yotsuba. In fact, should any of them be solicited for bodyguard duties, they would be the cream of the crop. Therefore, the moment he escaped, it was a race. A race against time and the butlers.

"Ha… Those idiots don't stand a chance against me."

Tatsuya from the get-go knew he was a genius. And with servants singing his praises every day, his superiority complex soared. Thinking that he outsmarted them, Tatsuya implemented his plan.

He decomposed the locks and opened the window. However the moment the locks disintegrated, an alarm sounded. Dejima and 2 other servants stormed into the room with smug expressions. They knew that Tatsuya would one day attempt a runaway and prepared for this. Tatsuya, on the other hand, realized he needed to run and jumped out of the window.

Dejima gave chase from the window while the others went around the building to corner him.

"DAMN IT!"

Tatsuya ran with all he's got. Miya's room was in the other building and at the rate he was running, Dejima would catch up to him. In the first place, there was no way a kid could outrun a grown man who's been through intense training.

Looking over his shoulder, Dejima was only 20 meters behind him. It would take him less than 5 seconds to reach Tatsuya. As he could only prepare for the inevitable, Tatsuya saw a glimmer of hope.

Miya was sitting on the terrace overlooking Tatsuya's room.

"OKAA-SAMA!"

Tatsuya called out his mother with an elated scream. '_I win' _was the declaration that went through his head.

What happened next was not what he expected.

"Capture him."

Miya gave an order to her servants to assist Dejima.

At that moment, over half a dozen men surrounded Tatsuya, Dejima included. They all huddled and blocked his view of Miya. Dejima used his burly hand to grab Tatsuya. Like a cornered mouse, Tatsuya played his trump card. Using decomposition on Dejima, Tatsuya managed to break down all muscles in the butler's hand. His bones started to melt as calcium left it and his blood vessels began to burst. It was truly a sight to behold.

Dejima released Tatsuya or to be more concise, his arm could no longer sustain Tatsuya. As he writhed in pain, tears started to form in Dejima's eyes. Tatsuya could only gape at his own creation. Skin melted as if it's been through lava. Bones that has lost its color due to decomposition. And blood that turned black. The smell that the embraced the Yotsuba garden is that of a corpse that has been left to nature for years.

Tatsuya's hands shook. He caused such a phenomenon that was worse than death itself.

In anger, one of the butlers clenched his fist and gave Tatsuya a knockout blow. Even for immobilizing someone, it counted as overkill. As the servants tended to Dejima's injured arm, Tatsuya was once again hauled off into confinement.

-.-

30 minutes prior to Tatsuya's escape, Miya has been wordlessly staring at a particular direction drinking her cup of tea. Her location was the terrace right next to her room. Miya specially ordered that her resting point be one that allows her to consistently view her children's rooms whenever she desired to.

Ever since her declaration of making Tatsuya a test subject in the Artificial Magician experiment, Miya has been devoting herself to researching ways to implement the operation safely. In the end, if Tatsuya dies it was game over. Therefore, her work in mental-interference was the true key to preventing Tatsuya's life from going that direction.

Nonetheless, her actions were a double-edged sword. Yes, if the experiment was successful, Tatsuya might find a place in the Yotsuba. However, the moment she announced to the Yotsuba that Tatsuya is a BS magician, scorn awaited him. She knew that there will be people who would openly bully Tatsuya, but she was powerless to stop it.

Now that Tatsuya's position is no more than a spare, he was lower than anyone in the household. The Yotsuba prioritized hierarchy. Being in a place where assassinations and espionage were commonplace, should there be any internal issues that might lead to uprisings within them, the consequences would be dire. Therefore, not even Miya could stop Tatsuya's mistreatment from henceforward.

The only thing she could do was watch Tatsuya's room in the hope to get a mere glance at him.

It was now part of her daily routine. Whenever she had free time, she would look into Tatsuya's window. A glimpse of how he son was doing is all she needed to get by her day.

As the Artificial Magician experiment advanced, more and more human sacrifices were required. It was all a matter of trial and error. No one could predict what would happen since it was an entirely new field of study and death was the eventual fate of most test subjects.

Miya could only grit her teeth every time someone signed a waiver or when she used her magic on them. She could deceive them with the grandiose topic that it was for the future of mankind but ultimately, she could not refute herself. It was all her selfish request to make Tatsuya a "Magician" worthy of the Yotsuba name.

She despised herself. Sacrificing the lives of test subjects day by day and being unable to be next to Tatsuya. In her grief, she endlessly strained herself with Magic. In order to stop thinking about it, she let herself get intoxicated with Mental-interference.

The side-effects of using it once was minimal, but Miya was casting forbidden magic every day. Piling up, eventually she will forget how to feel emotions. Nothing in this world is free. For every action, there is a price to pay. Miya was taking away the minds of other. This in turn meant that her emotions and consciousness would be corroded. Slowly but eventually.

Soon, she would break her body and become a doll void of emotions. However, before that happens, she had a duty to fulfill.

Nonetheless, the fuel that kept her going was her son.

"Tatsuya…"

Miya could not count the number of times she muttered his name.

All she wanted was to see her son.

Her beloved son…

"HEYY!"

Her mind was brought back by the sound of a scream.

Looking at the direction of the noise, she saw Tatsuya.

"Tatsuya!"

A soft scream left her mouth. Although her expression nearly didn't change, her inner heart was in turmoil. The son she so longed to see was coming to find her. She knew no doubt that Tatsuya would have endless of questions and would break out of confinement eventually. She prepared herself for this day.

She prepared herself to be cold-hearted.

"OKAA-SAMA!"

Tatsuya yelled to Miya. Miya had so many things to say and ask him. 'Are you hurt?' 'Sorry, I'll answer your questions.' 'Can I hug you?' All were viable choices but…

They were choices she could not make.

As per her announcement to the clan a week before, Tatsuya was no longer a 'Yotsuba' but a test subject for the Artificial Magician experiment. He had no place anymore.

Should she defend him, she would be the target of disturbing the hierarchy and her position would be in danger. It mattered naught to a loving mother, but she did not only have one child.

If her position changed, so did Miyuki's. Anything she did would affect Miyuki directly.

Weighing the pieces together, she made her decision.

"Capture him."

As Tatsuya stared in disbelief, Miya gave the order.

"_I'm sorry Tatsuya…" _

All she could do was apologize to her son in her head.

-.-

"_I don't understand…"_

Tatsuya, after showing off his inherent magic, contemplated the events that transpired during the past week.

He revealed his magic, he got locked in his room, he got hit, he escaped, he found his mother, his mother ignored him and he got confined again.

He didn't understand. What did he do to cause such a reversal? He was the heir apparent. Why would anyone do this to him? Wasn't he a genius? Didn't the future of the Yotsuba lie on his shoulders?

He remembered the words of praise the servants showered on him. They called him master, they hailed his skill. So why were they shunning and torturing him now?

After being dragged to his room, the butlers started to hit him. Not with full force but just enough to mete out punishment on a misbehaving child. Although instead of punishment, it was their personal grudges being shown.

Kicks, slaps, and spits. It was not every day that you could do that to a Yotsuba. Or in Tatsuya's case, a master fallen from grace.

The 'punishment' that Tatsuya faced was more torture mentally than physically.

"Ha. Fuck you Tatsuya sa-ma"

"This is what you get for hurting Dejima!"

"You still think you're better than us? You trash."

Even servants unrelated to Dejima chipped in. As said, it was not every day you get to torture your master who was untouchable.

Sobs could be heard from the floor where Tatsuya lay.

"Ha? You're crying? Why don't you beg me for forgiveness huh?"

"_I don't understand…"_

The butler stepped on Tatsuya's head like it was a footstool.

"_I don't understand, I don't understand, I don't understand, I don't understand, I don't understand, I don't understand…"_

Tatsuya was a genius. But he did not comprehend the facts that lay before him.

"Hey! I can't hear you! Beg!"

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

"THEN LET ME ENLIGHTEN YOU!"

With a kick, Tatsuya rolled on the floor like a bowling ball. There was pain in his gut, scratch that, there was pain in every part of his body, but what hurt the most was his heart.

His butlers turned on him. His mother abandoned him. And none of his family members visited him nor explained anything to him. He did not understand the chain of events.

But there was one thing he learned. Humans were disgusting.

When there is benefit, they will gather around you. Wanting to reap the rewards of licking your foot. Nothing was off limits. You could kick them, punch them and torture them. But in the end, they will keep their façade and smile at you. However, when the chips were down, they will abandon you. If you were useless to them, they would cast you out.

In the end, all humans were ugly. They might look civilized and kind prima facie, but they were all garbage from the very bottom of their being.

What drove them to be so revolting? Tatsuya searched his mind.

He wanted an answer to all his questions.

But the most pressing query that had been weighing on his mind was…

"Why are humans this ugly?"

Tatsuya genius was not because he had the ability to memorize anything or form up new thesis. His genius came from the fact that he could comprehend the world as it is. How numbers affect up till the micro-level of species? How we interact with the world? How communication is able to transmit data? All these question incomprehensible by normal 3-year-olds but Tatsuya was able to do so.

He searched.

Every action of humans. Every movement. What drives them all?

As he came to a conclusion, his eyes widened in shock.

"Emotions…"

With Greed, humans are able to fight wars and perform fraud so as to get what they wanted. With Lust, men would satisfy their carnal desires by raping helpless women. With Pride, butlers would feel insulted and vouch for revenge. Everything started to piece up.

Strong emotions drive the body. It turns humans to show how truly disgusting they were. Because of emotions, he got beat up. Because of emotions, his mother abandons him. Because of emotions, he was rendered to this sorry state.

Tatsuya noticed, even he was a slave to it. He abused his authority and hit his maids. He was causing and the consequence of his plight.

The knowledge that he was no different than the pigs who hit him made him nauseated.

Emotions make a person. Emotions gave humans a meaningful life. But emotions also destroy every single shred of their 'humanity.'

Tatsuya stared into nothing as he said,

"If this is what it means to be human, I'm better off without them…"

-.-

Hi guys! Thanks for reading this short story of Tatsuya! Man it was hard to write this since I couldn't imagine Tatsuya when he was young. I have a feeling it might not really fit the canon later, but meh… Either way, please leave a review so that I can see if it was enjoyable for you or not! Until next time and Happy New Year!

PS: Pardon my poor English. I grew up with broken English and am trying to change it.


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